Aeroplane.



H. P. WEIDBL. AEROPLANE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.17, 1908.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

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INVNTD mf H. F. WEIDEL.

AEROPLANE. PPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1908` Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

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INV/Em Hernani' fri UNTD STATES PATEN orrrc.

HERMAN fFr WEIDEL, OFvROCHESTEB, NEW YORK.

AEROPLANE. l

. To all whom 'if may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN F. VEIDEL, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident oi' Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a new r and Improved Aeroplane, of which the fol- .4 lowing isa specication.

` rlhis invention relates to means for `se 'curing a more effectual control of an aviator 4and also for avoiding that class of accidents Li-:f which result from a loss ofv control of the "machin'e when, during flight, it is lmoving obliquely through strong air currents.

i/I;equilibrium of the apparatus foral such Iconditions; to this end my invention comprises an aeroplane or aeroplanes of general hollow prisinatic structure, preferably regular, and having outer peripheries formed of suitable sheet material and lhaving planes of similar `material extendiifig` between the angles at the periphery and a Central support or hub, revolubly mounted on the main body of the aviator, wlierebythe aeroplane is free to assume any angular position independently of any movement of the operator. .l/Vitli the aeroplane constructed as above indicated the resultant effect is lmodified veiy Fi 'slightly' for any such swinging or rotary Another feature ofv my invention comprises independent steeringl apparatus for controlling the ascension and descension. and

for controlling the moven'ient of the mai chine in transverse directions and this latter steering gear is pivotally connected with vthe steering wheel of the ruiming gear upon i' which. the machineJ may be supported and i `propelled previousto flightz The accompanying drawings illustrating 'are as follows Figure l, is a top or plan view, Fig. 2, is a side View and Fig. 3, is a front view. Fig. 4, shows a top or plan .view of the main supporting` member for the-aeroplane'and the operating mechanism.v Figa-5, is a side view of the parts as seen in Fig. 4. Fig. 6, shows in end view and Fig. 7, in side view the construction of oneof tliehubs for supporting one aeroplane. Fig. 8, is a partial construction of the frame work of the same.

Specification of Letters Patent.

` The invention comprises suchl a construc-v `lar members b4.

an aviator in accordance with my invention view of one of-tlie aeroplanes showingA the' Patented Mar. S, 1910.

Application filed September 17, 1908. Serial No. 453,380.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

'lteferring to the drawings B is a tubular member comprising the main body portion of the frame work of my aviator. This member B is supported at the front end of the machine upon a tubular frame work composed of the two oblique members Z and the horizontal members bl comprising the axle for the front wheels w. This member B is supported at its rear end upon the vertical member t, pivotally secured in the rear end of'such member B and extending downwardly therefrom, is rotatable through a bearing formed therefor at the 'junction of the horizontal members b of the frame work, and below such bearing this tubular member t is bifurcated and car-ries bearings for the rear andsteering wheel w1. .Bracing members Ziextend obliquely upward. .and inward from the member b1 near its ends and just inside 'of the wheels w and are secured in a collar embracing the tubular member "B, from which collar there extends obliquely outward and forwardthe tubular members b4, which. at their forward ends are connected by the horizontal member b5, from 'the ends of which in turn there extend obliquely downwardly the bracing members Zi, which at their lower ends are secured to the member I). This upper horizontal meniber b5 carries bearings for the forward ends of the two fan shafts n, the bearings for the rear ends of which are carried by the tubu- A suitable platform g is supported at its front end upon a bar vextending between the tubular members b and at its rear end upon a bar extending between the oblique members 3, and a seat S for "the operator is supported 'from such members L. Upon the platform g is secured 'the motor E between which and the fan shafts n operative connections are made as indicated, for driving fans N therefrom.

On the top of the motor E areprovided bearings for the main operating shaft u of the controlling mechanism having the oper ating wheel U thereon. On this shaft u. is provided a double spool or windlass D, upon the dierent sections of which are wound in opposite directionsvthe ends'of the cord C, such cord passing over the pulleys l supported within the tubular member B, such cord extending to the drum (Z1 laround which it is wound and secured in such a way that the rotation of the wheel U-causes a rota ies tion of the drum d1. The shaft of the drum Itends through and has bearings ,in the side l 'right distance apart by means of the cross l d1 has bearings in the side walls of the tubuf l lar member B, and upon the. ends ot such shaft extending through such tubular memg ber i3 are secured r engaging the seggmental racks R, the are ot the circle o'l l -which is drawn from the center of the bolt l e) on which the arms rl for carrying such i raelrs are pivotally suljiported from the member B, the bolt or pin 'u exleiiding tl'ierethrough, andsuch arms 'r1 carry the lrame work for supporting the front vane or steer-1 .inggear "ik ',lhe angle ot' the vane V is varied by the rotation oi the wheel U. in the way indicated and already described i'or the purpose oi" detlecting vthe aviator up trolling` the ascension or descension of the l apparatus. 'i

The rear steering vane 'tor controlling the direction of the apparatus horizontally comprises the vane 'l carried by the tubular member z5 pivotally secured in the rear end of the tubular member B and extending` vertically downwardly therefrom. 'This tubular member is the pivotal center ior and l carries segmental racks R1 which are engaged by the gears '112, carried on 'the outer ends of the shaft of the drum which exl wardly or downwardly and thereby conn l walls of the tubular member l. .A cord (Il j wound around and secured to the drumd2 extends over the pulleys d and downwardly l tl'ierefrom and vis secured to the rear ends 1 of the levers L, each havinga toot hold l thereon and being pivotally supported at its forward end from the platform g carrying the' motor E. The direction of the travel of y the' machine in a. horizontal plane is control'led by the operation of the levers L by the feet of the operator resting;r on the foot holds Z, the operator occupying the seat S. Upon this member B and near the forward and rear ends thereof .are pivotally secured aeroplanes Pand P1, constructed as shown in the drawings in the `lovrm et' dodecagonal prisms. vAs the two aeroplanes are con-| structed substantially alike it will be necessary to describe the construction only of one of them, for instance, the one l. .The frame work for such an aeroplane comprises two i dodeeagonal skeletons7 the sides of which are :termed ot the tubular members c secured into the thrce-way elbows o and such two similar dodeeagonal skeleton Aframes are held together in parallel planes and the bars e secured in vthe elbows 0 preferably by right and loft. hand threads to permit of I ready asseinblin The cuter surface ot' the g aeroplane compri pi i bly a coiitnmons sheet of canvas or like material extended around and formingA a ol peripherally extending planes p1, supported from these members el. F rom th members e] there l sensatie extend radially inward similar planes p, having their outer ends secured to these members el and their inner ends folded around and secured to the rods p2 secured alternatingly in the front and rear series oi' notches in the hub members o and al.

Each hub' member fl and nl comprises .a collar having` a front. and rear seriesof notches in its periphery in which alternate oneso'l these members 29" 'are secured by means of bolts or rivets as indicated.. Such hub members or collars a and 0.1 are rigidly secured 'together by means of the members p2 when secured thereto. rlhe bars 702 are so extended that the corresponding ends of all such bars are in the same plane), whereby all of the front edges of the radially extending planes 79 are in substantially one plane with the front edge of the series of planes pf and the rear edges of such planes p are in substantially the same plane with the rear edges of the series of peripherally extending planes p1. The collar or hub members tor supporting the aeroplanes are rotatable upon the member B and may be prevented from longitudinal movement thereon by means ot suitable collars e as shown.

vBrewing rods as shown partially in Figs. and 8, evtending' obliquely outward from the hub members may be used to prevent a relative rotation between the peripheral planes and the hubmembers by the swinging et the planes 7) on the hub 1nembers,-there may be-irny desired number of such rods y' ot which only fourh are shown in such Iigures,and other racing members, not

shown. may be used when needed to braceV and strengthen the aeroplanes toprevent their distortion.

Attention is especially, called to the following; features in the construction and operation otiny aviator. The effective area ot either one of the aeroplanes l and P1 is sulfistantia'lly the same for any and all'angular positions ol' such aeroplanes relative to the support for the propelling mechanism and the operator whereby there is overcome any dilliculty resulting from the passage of the machine obliquely through a current of 'I air engaging the aeroplanes,-that is, the aeroplane may be caused to revolve by engagement with such currents without materially modityingir the resultant eitect of the device and also 'without inconveniencing the occupant or disturbing any of the other adjustments. and Isuch aeroplanes may revolve withoutallocating the occupant, the propel ling; n'iechanism or steering vanos connected and operated with't-he steer-mg wheel.

l. ln a device for the purpose described, an aeroplane comprising a hollow prismatic structure pivotally connected at substantially its axis with the support for the oper ating mechanism and the operator.

such axial center by such planes connected with the support for the operator and the Y' In a deviceI for the purpose described, an aeroplane comprising a series of planes diverging from substantially a common axial center and pivotally connected near such center .with the support for the operator and. the operating mechanism and a relatively rigid rim member supported concentrically of such axial centerby such planes connected thereto under tension.

3. Ina device for the purpose described, an aeroplane comprising a series of planes diverging from substantially a common ax ial center and connected near such center Operating mechanism and a relatively rigid rim member supported concentrically of thereto under tension.

4, ln a device for the purpose described, an aeroplane comprising a regular prismatic structure pivotally connected at approximately its center with the support for the operating mechanism and the operator.

5. In a device for the purpose described, an aeroplane comprising a hollow prismatic structure and a series of convergingplanes extending from angles of the prlsmatic structure toward the center, and such entire l structure pivotally connected With the main support'for the operating mechanism and the operator. 1

6. ln a device for the purpose described, an aeroplane comprising a regular and hcllow prismatic structure and a series of converging planesrextending from the angles of the prismatic structure toward the center and such entire structure pivotally connected with the main support for the operating mechanism and the operator.

7. In a device for the purpose described, an aeroplane *comprising a series of planes diverging from substantially a common axial center and pivotally connected near Such center with the support for the operator and theI operating mechanism; a relatively rigid rim member supported concentrically of such axial center by such planes connected thereto under tension and means for preventing relative angular displacement between such rim member and the inner ends of such planes. i

H ERMAN F. XVEDEL.

lVitnesses LoUisn Finn', OsuoRNn F. GURNEY. 

